Custodian Reprimanded In Case Of Lupe Valdez’s ‘Missing’ Gun

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A property room custodian has been reprimanded by authorities after a gun that was loaned to former Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez was thought to be missing and was later found inside the room.

A 9mm Beretta that was given to Valdez when she was sheriff was reportedly not returned to the department after she left the position to run against Gov. Greg Abbott.

Lupe Valdez (CBS11)

The now Democratic nominee was the Dallas County sheriff for 13 years before she stepped down.

After Valdez claimed the gun was misplaced as she transitioned from the department, the gun was found about a week later inside the property room.

Officials said a previous audit of the room “failed to locate the weapon.” During another check of the inventory, the gun was found.

Interim sheriff Marian Brown launched an internal investigation into how the gun was not accounted for during an audit. The department confirmed on Wednesday that the investigation was completed.

The custodian of the property room was reassigned and received a written reprimand.

The sheriff’s office released a full statement on the investigation:

“The Sheriff’s Department Internal Affairs investigation into former Sheriff Lupe Valdez’s missing gun, which was subsequently found in the Sheriff’s Property Room, has been completed. The property room custodian was reassigned and received a written reprimand.

Sheriff Brown had ordered, in addition to the Internal Affairs investigation, an examination of the gun itself for fingerprints, to try and determine anyone that may have handled the misplaced weapon but tests were inconclusive and no identifiable information was obtained from the tests performed on the gun. Sheriff Brown had ordered the secondary investigation into the gun because she wanted to have a better understanding of what happened and has been reviewing the Sheriff’s Department procedures and processes to ensure accurate record keeping of evidence or property turned into the Sheriff’s Property Room.”